England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker took his tally beyond 450 in the series-sealing victory over Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street – where he was man-of-the-match.
Anderson, 33, has 18 wickets already in two Investec Tests this summer – with Lord’s still to come next week and England already the series winners with an unassailable 2-0 lead.
He has gone up two places in the rankings and usurped previous table-topper Broad, down to third in the list also behind India spinner Ravi Ashwin.
Anderson is the fourth England bowler to be ranked number one since Ian Botham led the way in 1980.